Curried Rice with Chickpeas...a complete protein.

I sure am getting my money's rental time's worth of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian!  My copy is coming due in a day or so at the library and I don't want to give it back.  Another one for the purchase pile.  The other night I was looking for something to make with things I already had in the pantry/fridge (yup, one of those days again).  I'm always so excited when I find something that we love and file away in our mental checklist of things to make again.  This dish contains chickpeas and rice, which together make a complete protein...and with the addition of coconut milk and curry powder, they had so much addicting flavor!  I used brown rice, which essentially doubled the cooking time but that's okay...and I threw in some fried tofu, one of my current favorite things!

Curried Rice with Chickpeas
from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
serves 4

1 Tbs. Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium bell pepper, cored, seeded & finely chopped
1 heaping Tbs. curry powder
1 1/2 c. chopped ripe tomato w/ juice
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (plus some water or veg stock if using brown rice like I did)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c. long grain rice (or long grain brown rice)
1 c. cooked or drained canned chickpeas
handful of peas, fresh or frozen

Put oil in a medium pot with a lid over medium-high heat.  When hot, add onion, garlic, bell pepper and curry powder, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, coconut milk, bay leaf , some salt and plenty of pepper; bring to a boil.

Stir in the rice and chickpeas, cover and turn the heat down to low so that the mixture bubbles gently.  Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

*If using brown rice, I recommend starting with water and after the first 30 minutes, stirring in the coconut milk.  This will allow the rice to cook about 2/3 of the way before adding the coconut milk which can burn onto bottom of pan during longer cooking time, which was a total of about 45 minutes.

I'm submitting this at IHCC this week for our POTLUCK! theme...why not join us this week...nothin' but Bittman :)  I'm also submitting this to Meatless Mondays over at My Sweet and Savory hosted by Chaya.